Underrated Horror Movies: 1985

Looks like we are starting to hit our stride again for underrated horror movies. Our last two lists (1983 and 1984) was a little lacking in the quantity department, but we are back strong with 1985. The big names showed up in full force as well including films like Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Day of the Dead, The Return of the Living Dead, Fright Night, Silver Bullet and The Stuff. Most of these names could probably make our 1985 underrated horror movie list as well, but we kept them under the more known movies.

Check out the underratedÂ horror movie list for 1985.

Cat’s Eye
A stray cat is the linking element of three tales of suspense and horror.

Director: Lewis TeagueWriter: Stephen King (screenplay)Stars: Drew Barrymore, James Woods and Alan King

From the director of Cujo, Alligator and The Jewel of the Nile, we get an adaptation of another Stephen King work. This one stars Drew Barrymore and James Woods, we are treated to a nice little anthology worth your time.

Demons aka DÃ¨moni
A group of people are trapped in a large movie theater in West Berlin that is infected by ravenous demons who proceed to kill and posses the humans one-by-one, thereby multiplying their numbers.

The cover alone screams 80s horror, but this fun little film originally titled Beasties and originally having Charles Band as the director is one that needs to be on your list of movies that you need to see.

The Hills Have Eyes Part II
A group of bikers, which includes some of the survivors from the original film, embark on a journey by bus to a biker race near the desert of the infamous incidents. However, because of a mistake they are late and decide to take a shortcut through the desert. Halfway through the desert the bus breaks down. While trying to repair the bus, some of the group wander off, and wind up in the traps of the survivors of the mutant family of the first. Then the mutants go after the rest.

Forget the original and forget the remake and the sequel to the remake. This one is way out there. This one centers aroung a group of bikers and includes the dirt bikers doing their thing to get away from the mutants. Not what you expect, but still not bad.

Nailgun Massacre
aka The Nail Gun Massacre
After a young girl is gang-raped by a crew of construction workers, someone starts killing off members of the group with a nail-gun.

A young Lauren Hutton and Jim Carrey are featured in this fun little film. If you are a fan of Carrey, then you need to check this one out. I am not a big fan of his, but he was good in this one.

Phenomenaaka Creepers
A young girl, with an amazing ability to communicate with insects, is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.

I always feel silly including films from horror legends like Dario Argento in these lists, but Phenomena is one of my favorite films of this Italian legend. You will also see a young Jennifer Connelly and a younger Donald Pleasence. Honestly, we could all use more Donald Pleasence.

Re-Animator
A dedicated student at a medical college and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue when an odd new student arrives on campus.

This film is not really underrated, but it is close. Stuart Gordon’s classic take on an H.P. Lovecraft tale is one of the best horror films from the 80s. Bruce Abbott and Barbara Crampton play nice roles, but the star of the show is Jeffrey Combs. His on-screen presence is undeniable.

Warning Sign
In an ultra secret laboratory for the developing of biological weapons, covered as “Biotek”, a research center for agriculture, a serious accident occurs, spreading a sinister bacteria in the laboratory. The security guard of the complex, closes and seals the building, with all the personnel inside, making very difficult the struggle for survival, not to mention the actions that the relatives of the enclosed people are thinking to do.